Looking for a read completely out of this world?
This book is set in another place where children protect society from magical Fog that seeks to do harm to adults. It is the first of more to be set in this magical place.
I found the description good, enough to keep me reading with plot twists stretched very far. Almost too far for me and connected by a single thread at times. The chapters are very long and it takes a long time to get from one action point to the next. Everything does tie together in the end in a twist I didn't see coming, but if you are driven by action instead of curiosity of a few points seemingly left loose to see if they pick up again you may not stay til the end.
Overall this wasn't a bad book but the pace was not right for me. I enjoyed learning about the world and the connections each part had. I look forward to seeing what else comes from the land of fireflies and fog.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The book Fog & Fireflies by T.H. Lehnen, published on April 11, 2024, is, at its simplest, about a young girl lost in the fog. But to leave it at that would be a disservice to you and to the book.

This is a captivating, immersive novel about found family and the struggles of growing out of your childhood and family home. Its characters are well-developed, its settings distinct, weaving together to build a world of darkness, fear, and undiscovered magic.

"This is why we watch the fog." The fog is almost sentient. It laps at the walls of town, taunting and sneaking its way around the town's defenses, its only aim to kill the adults. Only the children, whom the fog cannot touch, can keep the fog from destroying their town.

Ogma, at fourteen, is on the precipice of adulthood. She feels the burdens and fears of the adults but understands the children better; patrolling the walls and living amongst other children is all she's known. The idea of leaving the wall and the children and her life on the wall behind is more terrifying than the taunting, murderous fog could ever be. Or so she thinks.

When Ogma finds a foreign young man outside their walls one night, her daring rescue sets into motion events that lead beyond the safety of the walls and into the fog.

Thrust into an ever-shifting landscape where she quickly discovers not to trust even the ground beneath her feet, Ogma struggles to survive with nothing but her wits and her talent for making friends to keep her safe. Her only drive is to find her way back to the people and the life she left behind, but as the fog shifts around her, she learns to live outside the walls and begins to question the life she knew.

This book is a strong four stars. As stated above, Fog & Fireflies possesses engaging characters, solid worldbuilding, and an imaginative and clever plot.

There are a lot of characters in this book. We don't see most of them for very long, but each of them is distinct and memorable. I had no difficulty following and empathizing with the different characters throughout the book, which is quite a feat, considering the first few chapters introduce at least fifteen different characters, most of them children.

Ogma, the main character, is introduced as a brave and fearless child who's not afraid to question the adults and lead the other children, though she's not the one in charge. Her fearlessness is a key trait throughout the book, but there are times when she throws tantrums or sulks as children and teenagers are wont to do, and it's a pointed reminder of how young she is.

Wheeler, a pivotal side character, is the oldest of the children on the wall and is defined by his fear early on, which means to many in town that he's too old to still be on the wall with the children. While he possesses many strong leadership traits and does his best to lead the children well and safely, his fear in the face of the fog is stronger.

Dunkirk, another pivotal side character, is foreign to the fog and the town. When Ogma saves him outside the wall of the town, he doesn't know them or their language. All he wants is to return to his friends, but he knows there's no way back to where he was, especially since he can't communicate with anyone. His character is a good balance between Ogma's drive and Wheeler's caution: he wants to go back to what he knew before, but he knows he can't, and that makes him cautious of what lies ahead in case something like that happens again.

A sidenote on Dunkirk: he speaks a different language, and we can't understand what he's saying for a large portion of the book. Normally, these instances are either translated by another character or outright in the book. That alone might not have been an issue for me, but I knew from a previous review that he speaks Norwegian. So from the moment he's introduced, I had a translator ready. This meant that I was taken out of the story every time he speaks to translate his words. A distraction like that is huge for me, as I want to be immersed in the story and not taken out every other sentence to translate dialogue. It would have been better for me if I'd let the foreign language be and just gone without knowing what the character was saying.

Additionally, I thought the language barrier was solved too easily. The way it's solved shows us several useful and important things about the story: character development for newly introduced characters, worldbuilding about the magic system, plot device for later in the story. But at that point in the narrative, the issue's resolution doesn't feel earned to me.

Regarding the worldbuilding: I love the idea of the fog and how it functions. Establishing not a physical enemy, but an uncontrollable and unbeatable outside force, creates a separate tension from the main storyline, which in turn raises the stakes since all decisions must be made with this force in mind. It adds a layer of tension to every choice, no matter how small.

It's a world of sleeping gods and lurking dangers, where every decision must be made with care and any careless choice can lead to much larger consequences, as our main character discovers the hard way.

This book contains content warnings for minor blood, animal bones, child labor, death, forced captivity, kidnapping, parentification, serious injury, and violence. I recommend this book for YA fans of epic fantasy, dark mythology, and the found family trope. Anyone who loves getting lost in the woods, self-discovery, primordial monsters, or ancient lore will love this book.

A complicated story with a sprawling cast of characters, Fog & Fireflies leads you into a richly imagined world with a deep lore I love a fantasy that throws readers in the deep end and lets them put together the pieces as they are doled out, allowing the mystery to unfold in an exciting way but keeping you instep along the way. The Ghibli esqu comparisons are very apt, many of the descriptions of beasts and monsters would fit right along side the creatures in Princess Mononoke. The end frustrated me a little bit as the movement of characters through time muddled the previously clear rules of magic, but I am still eager to see what happens next as the story advances.

i really enjoyed the art provided throughout the book! However I've given it a three star rating because the book took awhile to set the scene and there seemed to be a lot of additional filler. I really enjoyed the characters and enjoyed when everything came out in the end. I did hope there would be more closure in the end but i was still satisfied.

arc provided by netgalley

This is a fun and spooky fantasy story, with interesting world building and lovable characters. You really felt for the kids, having to take on so much responsibility and keep everyone safe. And the dynamics between the older kids like Wheeler and the younger ones was so sweet and nice to read. This really did evoke similar emotions as when i watch Miyazaki movies or other favorite fantasy movies from my childhood.

Fog and Fireflies introduces us to a unique new world, full of magic, mystery, and myth. Our heroine must find her way through a shifting landscape and a shifting timeline as she tries to save the people she loves from the shadows of past legends. While it had a slow beginning, I appreciated the time the author spend to develop the characters and setting in a natural way - there wasn't much exposition to speed the introduction along, instead we learned things as Ogma learned them. This almost lost my interest early on, because even though I liked the premise and the world building, I hadn't been hooked in the story yet. But eventually the momentum of what we were learning swept me up and enveloped me like the fog itself, and I enjoyed the adventure. I would be happy with this as a standalone story, but it doesn't feel done yet. There are still questions and mysteries, and a general feeling of something left unfinished. Either way, I hope to see more from this author in the future!

Firstly, I fell in love with the blurb and the cover of the book. A young girl standing in front of monsters. It really does match the world and characters within this book.

Ogma, is someone who you instantly fall in love with. She is not some weak child. She is brave, responsible, smart, loyal to her village and others. Adults are not the protectors in this story, the children are as they are not as fearful or aware of the darkness, and what it truly is. The children protect the village and keep the fog away.

I was skeptic at first thinking it would not be similar to Studio Ghibli but it absolutely is, even down to the art style, and the description of the many characters, and all of their unique thoughts, and emotions. Every character serves a purpose and is not just thrown in because you need more dialog. Everything pieces together like a puzzle, which is exactly the mystery within this book. You have humans, and inhumans, you get a touch of fantasy but not overbearing and easy to read for non fantasy readers.

Unlike many others the chapters are longer than most, not everything at the end will be answered you are left to come up with your own conclusions. The world building, slang used is unique I think the whole book is on its level all on its own.

Great for middle school age and older, and it is definitely one I will remember and recommend for years and years. Well done.

In a world where the fog is out to get you and the walls are patrolled by children to keep the town safe, a brave girl named Ogma risks it all to protect and save all those she can. Courageous Ogma gets thrown into the adventure of a lifetime beginning with the day she saves a strange boy from beyond the wall.

Immediately, drawn to the cover of this story and how it feels like a dark fairytale. Incredible world building in this imaginative and mysterious yet slightly confusing story. The characters are captivating with a touch of magic as endure obstacle after obstacle. However, I did not enjoy the length of the chapters and how often perspectives alternated within them.

Wonderful, imaginative tale with a timeline that is hard to follow and characters that fade in and out. Ironically, this actually adds more to the story as you fell like you are wandering through the fog with the main character. Definitely a must read for Spirited Away fans.

As someone said earlier, this book truly reads like a Ghibli movie. It was perfectly magical.
The only thing I'd have wanted more of was the Wizards war and how the fog came to be. Also the chapter lengths was a little bit of an issue for me.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eARC.

4.2 / 5.0

Fog & Fireflies by TH Lehnen is a fantastic, spooky fantasy book. I was drawn to the cover and tucked in for the story in two sittings. The world building is amazing and the story is so entertaining. I only wish it was written for an older audience, but overall this story is a good time.

Until Next Time,
MC

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for access to this ARC to review.

This is a modern classic fantasy story, with traces of ‘The Neverending Story’ and ‘Pan’s Labyrinth.’ I loved the characters, and I loved the way the author explores the themes at the heart of this novel. With compelling characters, recommending this book is a no-brainer!

mazing cover. I was in love in the beginning, with the deadly, creepy fog and the notes of the bells. The kids know the tones of the other kids and they communicate through their bells across the walls they patrol. You fall in love with the well-written characters. And then the big bad thing happens and I struggled with the book until about the last 10%. I did enjoy the world-building and getting to know the different caravaners, but I was restless and focused on the big bad event and I needed to know what happens next in that plot-line.

I'm hoping the next book has a little more interest between Dunkirk and Ogma. I know the audience is young teen and I'm not asking for smut. If he went out of his way to get her a dessert, I would be happy. Bare minimum romance at least, please.

The monsters are delightfully scary.

Small village surrounded by dangerous and mysterious fog. Only children are immune to it, so they guard the wall of village and protect the adults. Sounds dark and twisted and it is. The main protagonist Ogma is a brave girl, very loyal, strong and lovely, who is making everything she can to fulfill her duty and protect her friends. But the fog hides many secrets.
I liked this book. The cover is magnificent, by the way. The story is surprisingly darker than what I expected. Storytelling is very compelling and complex, building rich world full of small and thoughtful details, which are coming together at the end very nicely. It feels as a fantasy book should feel - like you have a sparkling new gem at your hands. My only complaint would be probably the pacing which felt a little off at the middle of the book. Like the action should have started a bit earlier. Also I felt like it wasn’t the end of the story and discovered this is first of the planned series after finishing it. Keep that in mind if you don’t like to wait for the coming books.
The book is dealing with friendships and found family, growing up and disappointments from adults and almost-adults. A separate point is obviously the parents. Here the most awful creatures are called by the names of Mother and Father, which is by no means accidental.. Well it is not a simple book, there are layers and themes.
I would really recommend it, just with a warning that it is pretty dark at times.
Thank you netgalley for the arc.

A remarkable and innovative fantasy tale that's certain to delight readers of all ages. I'm very proud of Tim and the work that's gone into this and I'm as excited as anyone else to see what he comes up with next.

The author did a nice job with world building. The characters were relateable. However, the first half of the book moved so slowly, I couldn't finish the book. Also this is more of a children's book than young adult.

I appreciate receiving the ARC and thank Netgalley and the publishers.

This is why we watch the fog....

Oh Ogma. What an adventure we went on. I found this book perplexing and wonderful.

Perplexing because I found it really hard to picture the characters and understand the world and I think its because it was just so different to anything else I have read... I think ever. The world is intriguing, fascinating and terrifying and I want to go back.

Wonderful because its such a topsy turvy ride. I was invested from the moment the shadow puppets appeared. I loved how the author left the children as children. Still little and unsure and innocent but also with this monumental weight on their shoulders to keep all the adults safe. It made it so believable, and it made the stakes higher. So well done

There are some issues with pace and character development - Some characters that appear later in the book, you feel you should be more invested in but you just aren't because there isn't enough development to have that connection.

On the whole, a brilliant read and I can't wait to pick up this author's next tale.

Just one thing that bugged me - A LOT - The whole way through the book. At the beginning of the story, we learn Ogma has only ever eaten meat once and its not something that is readily available and a note is made that they are basically vegetarian. IF that is true - Where did the butter and eggs come from? Because they had a bakery...and Pies were mentioned but how? It just really nagged at me all the way through the book. Was it vegan pastry? Did they not use eggs? WHERE did the butter come from. I'd still like to know.....

p.s Thank you T.H Lehen, the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free review copy of this book

3 stars due to world building, enjoyable characters, and descriptions of place.
Missing 2 stars due to:
1. Issues with continuity - I felt the story should have been divided into 2 parts and each of the parts needed more fleshing out.
2. Target age range is 15-18 years although the first half of the book is written for a much younger age level and the second half of the book is really for a slightly younger age range. I would have put the book at more of a 11-14 age range.

A beautifully written novel that takes you to a fantasy world unlike any other you have know before. I really enjoyed branching out from my typical genre to read this work.

Fog & Fireflies is more than it says on the tin: sure, there is fog and there are fireflies, but there are also towns that disappear into said fog, there are legends that may not be just legends and may be closer than they seem, a traveling wonderous colorful band of "caravaners" who trade in goods but keep the truths of the world, a mysterious boy appearing in blood and fog, and threading them all together the teenage Ogma who is just trying to get home.

When blurbs say things similar to Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli vibes, usually it's a bit of a stretch for 'cozy and heartwarming fantasy.' This is not that (mostly!) this actually draws out the more interesting (to me) parts of the Miyazaki/Ghibli vibes -- the horrors of the earth and how Wrong they feel in their landscapes.

There was a lot going on in this book but it does all tie together (even more than expected) and it's definitely part one of a series even if it's not clear on NetGalley and it's fun to see or make the realization/watch Ogma make the realization about these things knitting together to tell a wider story of the world and its histories.

There's still some questions I have (mostly why do there seem to be no parents and the children raise themselves, how exactly did spooky magic fog start, etc) and some minor nitpicking (I think it would have been better if Dunkirk's language would have not been written out as full dialogue every time when no one could understand him, I didn't know how the humans knew the genders of the caravaners unless there was something in the introductions/masks I forgot about so gendering shadow people was strange to my non-binary self, etc) but they are also things that surely could be answered in subsequent books in the series so I'm not really fussed.

And! There's illustrations!

Also let me say, in a world where AI ""art"" (not art) is encroaching into books it's so nice to have this GORGEOUS cover with a very clearly credited artist! Bless.

Thank you to Netgalley and Aspen & Thorn Press for the eARC in exchange for review!